Dan94

Hi @Dan Arnautu! Do you have some good advice for accepting flaws, mistakes and detaching from outcome when working out of your comfort zone. A lot of my neurosis/ procrastination over the time has come from the belief that if I don't resolve any uncertainties/ figuring out complex material straight away, I have wasted my time and haven't made any progress. How would you tackle this? Thank you Daniel

If you are into lucid dreaming: https://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Through-Darkness-Shadow-Dreams/dp/B073PFB1XM

As I'm about to approach 2 years of daily meditation I want some of your advice. Frankly, I have had no goals what so ever with my practise but making it a habit. And that has happened. However I currently, and especially within the last few months, I have felt more stressed and very, very easily agitated. Even fears I was crippled by in my teenage years have started to appear (fear of darkness, claustrophobia especially.) Having said that, I feel less and less attracted to compulsive behaviour - even though I habitually still do them, but they just seem to lose more of their power and seem less pleasurable. It's quite comparable to the way I felt when I was struggling at my first (and only so far) vipassana retreat. Right now meditation feels so difficult, and every time I close my eyes and set the timer I am so humbled by how much work's still to be done. I have done the life purpose course a few months back, and as of now my personal development "regimen" consists of 30min -1h vipassana meditation, 15 min contemplation, 15 min visualizing, 5 min LP contemplation and 5 min affirmations. I am in the process of building a previous poor work ethic that got me good grades in high school anyways. I was planning on doing my first solo retreat this summer after having watched Leo's trip videos but it seems more and more unlikely given my current state. Have you had any similar experiences/stories? Thank you

Cheers Yes, I have plans to do at least two retreats this year. If I'm a fucking badass I may do three. But it's still new to me and I know how arrogant I feel and how humbling an experience a 10 day retreat will make me, especially if I did it right now. People I have still contact with from last summer have told me about their experiences with later retreats, no fun and games like the first one . Let's see, but I will do two for sure.

Finished the Life Purpose course. Absolutely worth it. Thank you Leo.

And I hope it empowers you that virtually every body goes through the same struggle.

@kieranperez I'm in a bit of the same situation after having completed the Life Purpose course. I have become more clear on some of the concepts I still yet have to dive more into such as intrinsic motivation and fear. My thing this month is to get through Robert Fritz' book "Path of least resistance." The book discusses visions and the structures your thoughts are operating from by not getting fixated on problem solving but instead directing your focus towards a compelling, creative paradigm. Sounds very powerful. I will let you know how it worked on me :). And it's tricky as hell cause it's very, very easy to get so bloody resistant towards the thing that you like the most. And so you start second guessing your self even if you are on the right path. Else just read some booooks maaaan.

Intuition

Like one thing is following the youtube channel and nodding (admittedly I still do) but having a 1-2-3 guide with the specifics... In terms of real personal development work the course made the difference. I will write a more comprehensive review in the spring. I just felt like sharing for the sceptic person. You are fooling around not applying a fuck that you hear about and I know because I used to do and to some extend still guilty of.

And that's the thing. It's been a couple of month of work but having my values, strengths, a real vision (board), goals on a single piece of paper. It feels just so goooooood maaaaan. Now the real work begin though, drilling the bitch in to the brain.

Coping with a vast set of limiting beliefs by shining a ton of awareness upon them daily. I must say that every time I admit/become aware/articulate beliefs I feel a very delightful sense of release. However, in practise, when the work has to be done my "programming" continues unconsciously and the beliefs still rule a ton of my behaviour. What have been some of yours truly crippling beliefs that you later became aware of - and how long did it take you to become so mindful of them that your behaviour started changing? Thank you Daniel

But@Leo Gura......... I just did the "Letting go of self"-meditation in the book of not knowing again - and fundamentally I believe that enlightenment, for every body, is the number 1 priority, whatsoever. If you can completely attain a permanent state of no limiting self-images, concepts and emotions - how can you even promote and consider pursuing your LP fully before attaining enlightenment? Isn't that a very, very bad strategic move? To try to build on a foundation before the foundation is finished or solid? Aren't we capable to pursue our LP way more seriously and effortlessly when we don't have the burden of our "self"? Thanks, Daniel

@Nahm You went Brian Wilson due to unbalance/ over practise? And sad to hear that. Brian Wilson had a really tough time I know.. And I guess that is my major "concern". Being so emerged in stuff I ultimately know will not bring me towards what I really really value the most, wasting my time. As @Leo Gura points out in of his FAQ videos: any amount of years you fail to pursuit enlightenment will essentially be spent pursuing egoic goals and thus to a waste of time. Is this a too black and white interpretation?

@Preetom Thanks Preetom, appreciate your advice a lot. After doing a lot (at least to me, haha) of meditation and being more mindful in general, I have definitely found my self doing a lot of mechanical practise in the past and even to this day. And even better: a lot of low (un)conscious behavior too. I am easily drained these days and I think you are very, very spot on with the mindset towards practise. Consciously articulating that my prime goal for the day was to get through the practise as quickly as possible is a mindset truly doomed to failure. I like your schedule outline but I know for now I will ease my self into it, it will be too much for me. Homeostasis will kick in.

Thanks @Leo Gura, I will.

@cetus56 Sorry, I'm just not sure if I find this particularly helpful or guiding. Is sting enlightened???????????????????

@TJ Reeves Well said, thank you. Don't interpret my short answer as lazy or arrogant, I just agree. Thanks. @Nahm Thanks, that's not my primary concern but basics can never be revisited too often I guess. @Leo Gura This: It may seem a bit like navel-gazing but I'm genuinely curious of your opinion. And right, Ralston is that. What a mother fucker. I'm just constantly bombarded with "PRACTISE THIS MUCH" from teachers and musicians in general that if I'm currently not making that hundred percent commitment, it seems like, you know.. whatever, go start bowling instead.. But I want to be enlightened first. Can you make some distinctions and elaborate a bit on the conflict that totally bypasses Ralston. Thank you so fucking much, I have spent so much time watching your videos and doing your exercises. Daniel.

I see what you mean, it just sounds so nice in theory but in practise I find it to be different. Hmm. I also think a concern of mine is equally the infamous 10000 hour rule and how it applies to my field in which my life purpose lies (music). Many musicians swear to the 8-10 hour practise days. And I don't think I will be able to do it while doing a lot of inquiry and meditation as well as studying. And even this concern kind of proves my unwillingness to completely detach from my life purpose in order to attain enlightenment - I guess........... I want to think long term, do you have more concrete suggestions. Sorry if being pushy. Daniel

Hi! I'm looking for people with experience in sedona method practise. I've been using the method for weeks now and I hope to achieve emotional freedom to pursue a career within music industry. Right now I'm currently sick and tired of practising and I want to be able to enjoy my practise sessions without frustration and discouragement. Everything I do seems like a must instead of something I do out of pure joy. It's a grind. When I apply the sedona method I feel more free but I have yet to feel a permanent freedom and joy in playing music - being able to sit with my instrument a whole day practising without burning out. Am I overrating the sedona method or haven't I used it enough to get rid of unpleasant feelings? I know music is the call but lately I've been strugling A LOT. I would love to hear some tell about the effects the methods have had on your lives but more importantly your process with the method itself. Peace Daniel